Opinion page editor Rick Holmes and other writers blog about national politics and issues. Holmes & Co. is a Blog for Independent Minds, a place for a free-flowing discussion of policy, news and opinion. This blog is the online cousin of the Opinion
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Opinion page editor Rick Holmes and other writers blog about national politics and issues. Holmes & Co. is a Blog for Independent Minds, a place for a free-flowing discussion of policy, news and opinion. This blog is the online cousin of the Opinion section of the MetroWest Daily News in Framingham, Mass. As such, our focus starts there and spreads to include Massachusetts, the nation and the world. Since successful blogs create communities of readers and writers, we hope the \x34& Co.\x34 will also come to include you.

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By Rob Meltzer

Sept. 2, 2013
12:05 p.m.

One of my sources in D.C., who has had a “preliminary briefing” from the Regime, says that the Regime has no evidence that Assad did what the Regime says it did. Apparently, while constantly providing repetitive statements of proof that people died from exposure to a chemical agent (which is only one element of the international crime), the Regime still has no evidence of the actual delivery vehicle (another vital element)† or the ability to tie the vehicle to government control and command (a third element)–a necessity the lack of which has led not just the British and Russians to doubt the American claim, but also everyone who get the “briefing.”† It is not enough that Assad had weapons of this type–the international crime requires “use” by the state actor. Two questions were thoroughly evaded at the “briefing.” First, if the Regime has such comprehensive evidence, then why not turn the evidence over to the Security Counsel as required by international law? (there may be a resolution in the Congress by the Democrats to this effect, denying Obama the right to take action, but requiring him to turn over evidence to the UN and authorizing American involvement under UN command) and the other issue that is starting to bother folk–that the number of dead are not only fluctuating, but appear to be of different vintages and exposures, indicating that maybe someone brought bodies to the site to be found. What is lacking is transparency. I also keep hearing that the Regime has evidence, but certainly none of it has been made public. Kennedy made his case for Cuba. If Obama has the rocket fragments and proof that the rocket was under Assad’s command and control, he better be prepared to make that info public.